An integrated marketing communications plan matches your available budget of time and money to the most effective means for distributing your message. No matter how great your product or service, if your potential customers don’t know it exists, there will never be a sale.
An integrated marketing communications plan has all parts of your tactics working together. For example, if your marketing communications plan calls for print advertising, the same theme of your print ads should be reflected on your web site. If your customer gets the same message and visual clues in both places, they are much more likely to comprehend your marketing message. By doing this, you will build your brand with that customer who will remember you when they are ready to buy.
Your plan should include consideration of marketing methods such as:
- Web site
- Advertising: print, online, radio, or tv.
- Marketing Collateral: brochures, case studies, white papers.
- Online Marketing: advertising, opt-in email marketing and links from other sites.
- Trade shows
- Direct mail, personal selling, networking and many more methods allow you to get your message to the customer.